Original ResearchTobacco sales and marketing within 100 yards of schools in Ahmedabad City, India
Introduction
Tobacco advertising at the point of sale has become increasingly important for tobacco companies as governments begin to restrict advertising through other avenues.1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 Young people are particularly vulnerable to the effects of tobacco advertising. Among youth, exposure to tobacco marketing not only fosters acceptance of smoking, but also increases positive perceptions of individuals using the advertised brand. Exposure to tobacco advertising increases perceived ease of access, as well as perceived prevalence of tobacco use among their peers. Most importantly, exposure to tobacco advertising results in an increase in both the intention as well as the actual initiation of tobacco use among youth.7
Article 13 of the World Health Organization (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) addresses the importance of regulating the efforts of the tobacco industry to market tobacco products as a key strategy to decrease tobacco use.8 In order to assist FCTC signatories in implementing the requirements of the treaty, WHO developed the MPOWER package in 2008, which focuses on policies that reduce demand-side measures of tobacco control. Monitoring tobacco use and prevention policies and enforcing bans on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship are two key components of the MPOWER strategy. Although many countries have implemented advertising restrictions, lack of enforcement remains a key impediment to their success. According to the WHO, among the 26 countries with comprehensive tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship bans, only three high-income and four low-income countries have been able to ensure high compliance with their laws.9
A ratifying party of the FCTC, the Government of India passed comprehensive tobacco control legislation, the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act, 2003 (COPTA 2003). In addition to tobacco control measures such as smoke-free public places and graphic pack warnings, COPTA 2003 places strict regulations on the advertisement, display and sale of tobacco products. Tobacco products are not to be sold within 100 yards of the perimeter of any educational institution, and in other locations where tobacco sales are allowed, strict advertising restrictions apply. Specifically, advertisements should not exceed 60 cm by 45 cm in size, and should contain, in an appropriate Indian language, one of two approved health warnings (‘Tobacco causes cancer’ or ‘Tobacco kills’). Advertisements are not allowed to have a brand, brand pack shot or any other promotional message or picture, and may only list the types of tobacco products that are available at that location. In addition, regardless of the location of the vendor, retailers may not display tobacco products, ‘in such a way that they are visible so as to prevent easy access of tobacco products to persons below the age of 18 years’.10
While the regulations imposed by COPTA 2003 are strict, effective enforcement and compliance with the law is necessary to ensure a beneficial public health impact. The aim of this study was to monitor compliance in Ahmedabad City, India with the section of COPTA 2003 regarding the advertisement, display and sale of tobacco products around educational institutions.
Section snippets
Study location
Ahmedabad City, the fifth most populous city of India and the commercial capital of the state of Gujarat, was selected for the study.11 Ethical approval was granted by the Institutional Review Board of the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health.
Sampling and mapping
A master list of all public and private secondary schools (n = 816), attended by students aged 13–15 years, was received from the Education Department of Ahmedabad in March 2010. The age range was selected to align with the ages of students sampled in the
Results
In total, 20 public schools and 10 private schools were sampled. Except for the Central Zone, at least one public and one private school was sampled from each the city's six zones. Of the 30 schools selected, 87% (95% CI 69–95%) had tobacco sales within 100 yards of their outer boundary (Fig. 1). Two of the schools that did not have tobacco sales within 100 yards of their outer boundary had no vendors at all within 100 yards. Although COPTA 2003 regulates the advertising and display of tobacco
Discussion
While COPTA 2003 prohibits the sale of tobacco products within 100 yards of the outer boundary of educational institutions and bans the advertising of tobacco products at most locations (except point of sale with specific guidelines), the results of this study indicate that violations are widespread in Ahmedabad, India. Eighty-seven percent of the schools sampled in this study were found to have tobacco sales within a 100-yard radius, and over half of the schools had vendors within 100 yards
Author statements
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank the State Tobacco Control Cell, Government of Gujarat and the Government Dental College of Gujarat for their collaboration and support.
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